


Nautiscarader's Wendip Week 2020

by nautiscarader



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Established Relationship, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-24
Updated: 2020-08-06
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:34:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25496140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nautiscarader/pseuds/nautiscarader
Summary: Hub for this year's prompts for Wendip Week.
Relationships: Wendy Corduroy/Dipper Pines
Comments: 32
Kudos: 19





	1. Day 1 - lifeguards

\- Alright kids, we gotta teach you something before you all hop into the water!  
  
The sound of Wendy's whistle alerted the group of kids and teens that gathered around the Gravity Falls pool, eager to jump into the refreshing, cold water. The summer heat stroke again, and aside from the ice-cream parlours, the swimming pool was a natural place for them to flock. 

There have been times when Wendy would have scoffed at the idea of using her position as anything than an excuse to earn a few bucks by sitting and doing nothing, but evidently in the ten or so years since she last held the position of a lifeguard her priorities might have changed somehow, especially since once again she wasn't the only lifeguard there.

\- My lovely assistant is gonna help me show you what happens in case of drowning. 

Wendy waved her hand at the figure of a handsome young adult that emerged from the stalls and smiled at the kids. He wasn't surprised that Wendy had better effect on them. 

\- Okay, I'm gonna pretend I'm the one, who was found unconscious. - Wendy spoke as she lay down on the floor   
\- What is the first thing we do, kids? - Dipper asked the crowd.  
  
A dozen or so voices replied, but Dipper wisely filtered out the correct answers.

\- That's right, get help. If there are adults nearby, or other people, tell them to call for ambulance. But in the meantime, you gotta act quickly too. Now, how to check if a person is breathing?

Another cacophony of sounds erupted, and once more Dipper formulated them into a coherent answer.

\- A vapor-on-mirror is a good idea, but you don't always have those with you, right? Especially in the pool. The easiest way is to feel if the person is breathing. those tiny hairs in your ear are super sensitive, so they can pick yp even the tiniest of movements of air.

He leaned forward and moved his ear against Wendy's mouth.

\- I love you - Wendy whispered, barely moving her lips. She wished she could see his face, but alas, she was playing half-dead, and she was deprived of seeing her boyfriend flustered.  
\- O-Okay, let's say she is not breathing, what next?

This time, not as many kids knew what to do, but some put their hands over their wrists.

\- Bingo, we check for pulse. 

Dipper took Wendy's hand and pressed his thumb against her wrist. Though the kids could not see it, he moved his fingers against her palm, and though she appeared lifeless, Dipper could feel her heart was pumping just from his subtle caresses alone.

\- Alright, if we don't get a pulse after 10 seconds, what do we start?  
\- Mouth to mouth! - the crowd cheered.  
  
Wendy let out a soft murmur when she felt Dipper's hands around her head.

\- Okay, we place our hands like this, to make sure the head is secured... We pinch the nose of the drowning victim, take a deep breath and...   
  
Next thing she knew, Wendy had to act real hard to not react to the feeling of Dipper's lips on her. She desperately wanted to close her arms around his head and pull him against her, but just as she was about to break her character, Dipper paused for another life-saving breath. 

\- We do it five times...

Dipper spoke, before his lips met with her again. Though she knew the exhales lasted a split of a second, the feeling of him so close to her nearly wished she was drowning, but she knew well what came next.

\- ...and then we gotta restart the heartbeat. We press 30 times around the heart, right around here...   
  
Wendy opened her eye to catch Dipper's sly smile as his hand meandered deliberately around her left breast, until he found the correct place. But that didn't stop his fingers from making a short trip elsewhere when kids weren't watching as he pretended to make the presses.

\- We repeat that, until the victim starts breathing again...

Dipper once more pressed his lips against hers, though this time he nearly fell into the water when he felt her tongue mingling with his. He closed his eyes and let their intimate embrace continue, until some of the kids reacted.  
  
\- Uh, mister, how long to we kiss the person again?  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Read on tumblr ([x](https://nautiscarader.tumblr.com/post/624564967050559488/wendip-week-2020-day-1-lifeguards))
> 
> By the way, do not take my steps here as a guideline to save lives, I have no idea what I'm writing.


	2. Day 2: quicksand

As far as romantic walks on a beach went, this was not what Dipper had on his mind. 

First and foremost, he imagined a never-ending highway of sand, separating the land from azure sea, giving him just enough time to tell Wendy exactly how he feels about her. The beach that surrounded part of the Gravity Falls lake couldn't really be called that even by the least picky beach-goers.

Secondly, though in Dipper's eyes the sun made Wendy's auburn hair even more divine, he really couldn't call the stroll romantic, as it would imply Wendy shared the same feelings towards him. And so far, Dipper hasn't managed to bring himself to proclaim his love for her.

Thirdly, beach strolls, romantic or not, usually did not include falling into a quicksand that could potentially lead to your death. 

As Dipper struggled moving his body in the pit of sand, he realised that this should have been number 1 on his list of complaints.

\- Okay, okay, don't panic. - Dipper spoke, more to reassure himself than his crush - I have read how to escape quicksands. You just have to lie back...   
\- Dipper..  
\- ...and then try to pull yourself up...   
\- Dipper!  
\- And besides, you probably won't suffocate, since most quicksands are at most 3 feet deep, and it takes forever for a quicksand to suck you in anyway, so we-  
\- DIPPER!  
  
Wendy's shout interrupted Dipper's panicked mumbling. With her legs trapped in the sand as well, she was naturally uncomfortable, but even by her cool and restrained attitude, she looked terrified.

\- Dipper, first of all, *you* are three feet tall.  
  
Dipper let out a short meep.

\- And secondly, we're not gonna die slowly here, because it's not a quicksand.   
  
Wendy's eyes widened, as she spoke the next few words.  
  
\- It's a SLOW-SAND!

And just as Dipper was about to ask what was the difference, with a quiet "pop" they were sucked into the sand underneath them, temporarily entombing them in the darkness, and as the soil returned to its natural, flat shape after swallowing them, it let out a pronounced, much louder burp that echoed between the mountains that surrounded the lake.

Dipper and Wendy let out a shriek as they found themselves falling down a dark, empty tunnel, and only when their bodies collided mid-air, the two found some solace, though it only lasted for a few moments as they landed on a pile of sand that somewhat cushioned their fall.

\- We-Wendy! - Dipper coughed, feeling aching in his legs - Are-are you okay?  
\- Yeah, I think so...  
  
He felt enormous relief when he heard her voice, and after some more crawling in the near-darkness, the two found each other. Though the walls were covered in glowing fungi, the two desperately needed more light. Wendy reached her hand into her pocket, and the next second the cave was illuminated by her cell-phone. But when Wendy shone the light in front of her, she immediately regretted it, as instead of brightening the wall, it revealed two bug eyes and chitin pincers. 

At once, Wendy thought of a plan. She grabbed a fistful of sand and threw it at the beast's face, who roared in pain, making her heart beat twice as fast. She grabbed Dipper and ran as far away from the beast, hoping to find some sort of corridor or a lair leading outside.

\- It's-it's a giant ant!   
  
Dipper exclaimed, but at the same time, something grabbed him, yanking him out of Wendy's arms. He expected thin, spindly legs, but instead, he was being held by massive, furry paws, much to his and Wendy's surprise.

\- It's... a lion?

His words gave Wendy enough information to know what to do, as she shouted her words, dropped her phone and rushed with her axe to Dipper's rescue! 

\- Ah, watch out! - Wendy shrieked - It's an antlion! 

Upon hearing its name, the beast roared and in its rampage, allowing Dipper to slip from its grip. With two preys surrounding it, the antlion became temporarily confused, and that gave Wendy and Dipper chance to counter-attack. When the beast leaped towards Dipper, he acted quickly, filling the cave with blinding light from his phone's camera, and when that forced the antlion to take a step back, Wendy jumped and leapt onto its body, keeping her hands on its antennae as reins.

The antlion roared again and arched its back to throw Wendy off, but having anticipated that, the lumberjane leaned forward, reached her hand to grab Dipper and yanked him upwards so he can join her. Without even thinking, Dipper closed his arms around Wendy's torso, holding onto her as if they were riding the furriest of motorcycles.

\- Buckle up, Dipper! - Wendy shouted - I'm gonna try to drive it up the shaft!  
  
But as she was about to tame the beast, suddenly the cave was filled with warm, yellow light, and two more voices reached Wendy and Dipper.

\- Anty! What are you doing? 

Wendy and Dipper looked back, and so did the antlion, noticing that the alien cave they were trapped in actually looked like a cozy living room, sans the massive sandpile in the middle of it. And in the hole at one end of it, stood a massive, old lion and on its head a small ant, stomping all six of its legs.

\- Anty, answer your mother. - the lion grumbled, and the beast trembled, lowering its head in shame  
\- Oh, I do apologise for Anty - the ant that apparently was his mother spoke, and her husband walked towards Wendy and Dipper, offering his legs to help them get off. - We told our son to not set up traps for people taking romantic strolls on the beach, but it's apparently too much to ask...  
\- We-We're not-  
\- It wasn't-wasn't supposed to be- 

Both Dipper and Wendy began explaining themselves, their faces turning slight shade of red, but the ant mother didn't listen.

\- Why can't you be like your brother? He didn't have those crazy ideas when he was your age!

The ant pointed two of her legs at a picture on a wall, depicting a beast with an ant's body and a head and mane of a lion.

\- Yes, maybe we can ask Lionant to spend some time with you, once he comes back from his studies abroad, of course. - the father spoke calmly, stressing those last words, much to antlion's annoyance.  
\- Uhm, excuse me? - Dipper asked shyly, finally getting the odd parents' attention - We really didn't mean to drop here, and it seems you guys have something to talk about, so... can you point us to an exit?  
  
The two teenagers exchanged knowing looks and smiled politely at the two wild animals. 

A few minutes later, a massive boulder on a beach was moved from beneath it, revealing another, official entrance to the ant-lion's family house. 

\- If you are in the neighbourhood, do drop in - the ant spoke, before she realised what she said - Oops, I didn't mean that. 

The rock was moved back, camouflaging the underground house, leaving Wendy and Dipper utterly perplexed, until Dipper let out a cough.

\- So, uh, Wendy... - he shied away and moved his foot in the sand - Sorry it didn't work that well out...  
\- Are you kidding? It was cool, man. - Wendy nudged him, prompting him to follow her back to the Shack - I mean, we could have died, but it was cool! I totally wanted to ride that thing, like in that game where you have to keep holding on these giants' backs, and maybe we could have climbed up that hole, and...

And as Wendy kept talking, Dipper relaxed and stared at her red hair, bathed in orange light of the setting sun, and with each minute he was falling for her again. 

\- By the way, how do you think... the lion.. and the ant...  
\- Dude, you just killed the mood. - Wendy chuckled.  
  
It took Dipper a moment to realise that their evening stroll *had* a mood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Read oj tumblr ([x](https://nautiscarader.tumblr.com/post/624660412891332608/wendip-week-2020-day-2-quicksand))


	3. Day 3: Love potion

\- I love, smoochikins   
\- I love you too, pumpkin pie...  
  
Wendy and Dipper didn't even start drinking their shared milkshake with two straws, as they were too busy ogling each other and calling each other names so sweet it started to rival the very dessert they were not eating. Their table at the Lazy Susan's was observed by three people, one of them feeling more and more guilty by the minute.

\- Mabel, what have you done to them? - Melody asked the teenager  
\- Well... - Mabel shied away and began toying with her hair - You remember that Love God incident?   
\- Oh, the burning balloon one? - Soos added - Or do you mean the ethically questionable practice of using a magical potion to make people fall for each other without asking them if they are up for it?  
\- Mabel, didn't you learn anything from the Tambry and Robbie incident? - Melody crossed her arms.  
\- I did, but... - Mabel stuttered - But they look so cute together! And Dipper has been in love with her since forever, and Wendy obviously has a thing for him, except she's too cool to say it, and... I just thought that maybe they need a little push. And hey, Tambry and Robbie turned out fine.   
\- Mabel - Melody interrupted her. - I have never heard Wendy say anything remotely as uncool as "smoochikins", and Dipper would have sooner started flying than openly admit he's in love with Wendy. That's not them.

Mabel sighed and lowered her head in shame.

\- Okay, I guess we need to undo it.   
\- Does the love potion have some instructions, or... - Melody leaned forward.  
\- It does! It says that it should wear off after three hours, but it's been more! - she showed her the empty bottle - And trust me, I tried sprinkling them with the anti-love potion, but it just didn't work. Dipper just got an umbrella and offered it to Wendy so they started ogling each other underneath it.  
\- I think we need to bring big guns. - Melody spoke - Let's drag them to Ford.  
  
=============

\- I love you, my did-dop.  
\- I love you too, my cœur-duroy...  
\- It's worse than I thought.   
  
Ford spoke, watching the two teenagers squeezed into the same seat of his mind-reading machine. Neither Dipper, nor Wendy looked uncomfortable, and they didn't protest when Ford put a huge wired dome over their heads to measure their brain activity. 

\- Okay, but can they be brought back to reality? Earlier today they have been doing the "No, you hang up first" for an hour, and they weren't even on the phone!  
\- From what Mabel described, it looks like this is some sort of liquefied spell - Ford spoke, watching as the pink, gooey substance sticks to the side of his glass probe - If we don't have a remedy for it, then we must break the spell the usual way.   
  
There was time in Melody's life when the phrase "break the spell the usual way" would be considered odd. Those times were long gone.

\- So we either find some equally crazy witch, or...   
\- Or we see what can compromise the spell's integrity. - Ford ended - We need to find what holds them together, and see if we can wedge something, metaphorically, between them.   
\- Okay, let's do it. - Mabel sniffed - If we want to repair their hearts, we need to re-break them!

========

\- Look, Wendy! - Mabel sneaked between her and her brother - Dipper has a whole collection of fantasy red-hairs! Just like you! Oh no! - she spoke in a pretend voice - He has tons of other crushes, not just you!

She waved a huge stack of posters depicting scantily-clad women or elves, all bearing a striking resemblance to Wendy. For a split of a second the teenager looked at them, and just when Mabel thought she would be able to divert her attention, she pushed her away to look at Dipper.

\- Cool, I know who to cosplay for next Halloween! They do look neat. 

=======

\- Look, Dipper! That is Wendy's ideal boyfriend - she showed him what might have counted as a forged screenshot of an on-line dating site, if it wasn't written in crayon. - She says she likes men, not boys, who are tall, and not tiny, and she definitely doesn't like journals! Oh, what a tragedy! You two have negative sixty percent match!  
\- You are right - Dipper spoke to Mabel, once more bringing a smile to her face - That's why I got myself a gym membership, I gotta keep in shape and not spend the rest of my life in books.  
  
Mabel groaned. 

=======

\- I know what we should name our children! I've already started a college fund for them!  
\- And I have made blueprints for our house!

Mabel shared the with Wendy and Dipper, trying to come up with new excuses to break the powerful spell they were under. But nothing that could come to her head didn't work - no matter their differences, one of them always found a way to brush them off. And even though she tried to mentally silence it, the sounds of them kissing only cemented their cursed love.

\- I'm sorry, Dipper, I'm sorry Wendy - Mabel sniffed - I thought I knew what I was doing, because I wanted you guys to be happy. I shouldn't have messed with your lives...

Suddenly, the squelching of Wendy and Dipper's lips stopped and was replaced by coughing, screams and the cries of utter disgust. Mabel jumped in her seat, and for the first time in her life, she was g;ad to see two people choking to death. 

\- Wendy! Dipper! You're back! - she cheered - I am really, really sorry, you guys, I-  
\- Mabel, did Dipper and I kiss? - Wendy asked Mabel, her eyes still red. - And why do I feel like I've eaten two pounds of ice cream?  
\- And did I agree to marry her? - Dipper look at his hand with what looked like a plastic ring from bag of cereal over his finger.  
\- Yeah, and it's my fault. Sorry, I am the one to blame. I might have had spiked your drinks with the love potion.

Wendy and Dipper's eyes widened, and as they were about to complain, Mabel continued.

But I guess me admitting to that undid the spell! The dishonesty! That's what breaks love! Ford was right! I was dishonest with you, and that finally broke it!  
\- Er, I'm afraid not.   
  
The three youngsters turned their head and watched as Ford walked into the diner with the same glass test tube he's been experimenting with.

\- Turns out the love potion's duration lengthens over time. And since this thing is a year past its expiration date, it should have worn off after 7.5 hours. And it took... - Ford looked at his pocket watch - Seven hours and forty minutes. Acceptable result.   
  
Dipper, Wendy and Mabel blinked, sharing the confused looks.

\- But of course what Mabel spoke is completely correct, you shouldn't be altering other people's emotions. - Ford grunted - Especially with unapproved chemicals. Well, I'll have to go, I have to dispose of the rest of this, so that any match-makers won't be tempted to use it.   
  
Mabel turned towards her friend and brother once more, their faces still filled with a mixture of confusion and bewilderment.

\- So... what are we gonna do now?   
\- I don't know, I guess I have to use that gym card somehow. - Dipper shrugged. - Er, wanna join me?  
\- Sure, I got a whole batch of nerdy comics to read. - Wendy took out the issues of "Ynna, the fighter empress". - Hope they don't charge me for just sitting there.  
  
Mabel watched as the two walked out of the diner, chuckling to some joke only they understood, almost as if nothing has happened. 

\- Well, at least I got out of it without having to suffer consequences for my actions! - Mabel cheered herself up.  
\- That will be a hundred and eighty-five dollars for all the desserts they ordered. - Lazy Susan spoke, slamming the receipt onto the table - Do you have the cash, or should I bring the mop?   


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Read on tumblr ([x](https://nautiscarader.tumblr.com/post/624797337024446464/wendip-week-3-love-potion))


	4. Day 4 - Same age AU

\- This is going to be the most boring holidays ever.  
  
Dipper Pines put down the bags he's been carrying on the wooden floor of their new room, wondering if the creaking he was hearing would be the herald of their doom. But even if, the effect was nullified at once when Mabel began jumping up and down on her new bed, doing somersaults in the air, laughing and cheering.

\- Oh come on, dipdop. This place ain't so bad! Come on, let's see what things are in the gift shop.  
\- Mabel, we *live* in a gift shop now. - Dipper grumbled - And I have a feeling our grunkle would be willing to sell us...  
  
The twins walked down the stairs (Mabel two at the time), getting used to the bizarre décor of the Mystery Shack. The modern merchandise clashed with old pictures and clearly fake paraphernalia that wouldn't lure even the most gullible of tourists. 

\- Man, can you believe this, Mabel? Who would believe in such things? - Dipper asked into the void, leaning against the counter.  
\- Oh, you;d be surprised.   
  
Dipper let out an embarrassingly high-pitched meep as someone jumped from behind the counter. The girl had long, red hair, wore a green plaid shirt, was missing one front tooth, but it somehow didn't detract from her beaming smile. It took Dipper a moment to realise he has been in Mabel's arms the whole time when she caught him, and stepped to the floor.

\- Hi there! - the girl asked - You are Mr Pines' grand-kids, right? Oh man, maybe finally the borefest will end. - she kept talking, while she sat on the counter and dangled her feet, which Dipper now noticed were hidden in bizarrely huge boots.   
\- Hi! I'm Mabel!  
\- Wendy. Wendy Corduroy. - the girl reached her hand and fist-bumped Mabel, much to her delight.  
\- Dipper! She knows the SECRET HANDSHAKE.  
\- Heh, it's not very secret, isn't it? - Wendy looked at the chestnut-haired boy - And it's... Dipper?  
  
She raised her brow, ogling him from head to toes. 

\- It's... it's a nickname. Anyway, - Dipper quickly changed the subject - You were talking about the, uh, clients?  
\- Oh yeah. Lots of people fall for those.  
\- Wait, how do you know? - Dipper inquired - Are you... working here?  
\- Yup.   
  
Wendy jumped to the floor and walked to the twins. She was fraction of an inch taller than them, though her oversized ushanka might have contributed to that effect.

\- You are talking with Mystery's Shack best saleswoman! Mostly because I'm the only woman. - she added.  
\- Wait, how come grunkle Stan let you? - Mabel tilted her head in confusion/  
\- "Grunkle"? - Wendy chuckled - What's that short for, "grumpy uncle"?   
\- "Great uncle" actually.  
\- Ah, makes sense. So, anyway, I asked him if I can work here to earn some cash, and he said yeah, and he was happy cos he thought he'd have to pay me only a half. So then I told him I might call the feds, and you'd have to see his face when he heard that.   
  
Mabel and Dipper exchanged bewildered looks after the girl sputtered the entire history seemingly in one breath. Wendy looked around and lowered her voice.

\- Between you and me, I think your grunkle has some serious skeletons in his closet. Or maybe the basement.   
  
She jumped in place, and as she landed, the three heard a faint echo, just like when Dipper put down their bags. 

\- There must be one, but I can't find an entrance. Anyway, do you guys want to take a tour around the neighbourhood? And by "neighbourhood", I mean forest.  
\- Sure! - Mabel exclaimed - Dipper, isn't she the coolest?  
\- Uh, y-yeah. - Dipper spoke cautiously and followed the two.   
  
Wendy grabbed something from the counter, and as they left the building, it became obvious what did she take. 

\- Woah, woah, woah. - Dipper ran forward - You're not gonna tell me you will drive this. - he pointed to the golf-cart parked in front of the Mystery Shack.  
\- Oh, you can drive, too? Cool. - Wendy spoke nonchalantly and tossed him the keys.  
\- No, that's not what I meant-  
  
Dipper tried to argue, but the girls were already in the car, looking at him with mischievous looks. He sighed and passed the keys back to Wendy, who, with her big boots, were just tall enough to reach the pedals. While Mabel was singing some silly song, Dipper was saying his last prayer, but he quickly realised he might have underestimated Wendy's abilities.

The three drove into the forest, down the old, beaten paths, and the two city kids were suddenly engulfed by the untamed, serene nature that surrounded them. The sounds of birds chirping, leaves rustling and the distant roar of waterfalls created ambience they only heard in documentary films. And with the sudden rush of clean air came the oxygen shock, and Dipper couldn't stop himself from speaking his mind.

\- Wow, Wendy, this is...   
  
He looked to his left and saw the same girl, whose long hair now flowed with the air, while her face and her green eyes were partially obscured by the flickering shadows of the nearby trees. Words got stuck in his tgroat, and only one came out.

\- ...beautiful.  
\- Yeah, it's nice around here. - she answered nonchalantly. - It gets weird when the trolls come from the mountains. 

Dipper blinked.

\- I'm sorry, what?  
\- Yeah, they are a pain in the behind, but they're not that bad, unless you know how to handle them. And then there are the unicorns, those are jerks, but again, they stay in their glades. Man-bats can be weird, they get rebooted every season anyway, so as far as monster go, they are not that bad, and then there's-

Suddenly, Dipper gripped Wendy's shoulders and turned her towards him, the sheer horror on his face.

\- THERE ARE MONSTERS HERE?!  
\- Woah, Dipper, don't do that, or I'll ran into-  
\- A TREE!   
  
Mabel screamed and Wendy slammed the brake pedal, just as they were about to crash into a mighty tree. But only thanks to her reflexes, the car stopped, making only the tiniest contact with the tree that arose in front of them.

\- Oh, geez, oh geez, Wendy, I'm so sorry, are you-are you okay? Mabel? What about you?  
  
But neither of the girls reacted to Dipper's questions, staring at the obstacle they nearly ran into. And when Dipper followed their sight, he realised why. There was now a hole in the tree. Not a round one, not one caused by any of the parts of the golf-cart, but a rectangular, precisely cut one, and the door it was hidden behind hang onto the only remain hinge. 

\- Woah, guys, we found a treasure!   
  
Wendy eagerly jumped out of the cart and crawled onto the mask, her hand already diving into the hidden compartment. 

\- We-Wendy, be careful there might be some rabid animal there-  
  
Dipper alerted Wendy, who, from the looks on her face, already found something inside.

\- Guys, there's some mechanism here!

The red-head eagerly pushed the button inside, and Dipper once more let out a faint meep when he felt that ground underneath him began moving, uncovering another obscured hole, this time underneath thick, metal sliding door. Mabel and Wendy rushed to the spot, but this time, they let out disappointing sighs. 

\- Eh? A book? Come on, I expected a treasure chest!

But this time Dipper reached for the old, brown-red book as quickly as Wendy jumped up the tree before. The corners were encased in golden metal that once probably shone brightly, but years have made that shine obscured underneath the thick layer of dust. The center of the book's cover was an outline of six-fingered hand as well as number "3", and there was a magnifying glass attached to it on a string. 

With trembling hands, Dipper opened it, worrying the book might crumble to dust, but to his surprise and amazement, the book was in almost immaculate state, sans the yellowish tint the once-white pages have acquired.

As he shuffled through the pages, Wendy and Mabel leaned over his shoulders, and with each new hand-made drawings, their curiosity deepened, though only one of the three knew what Dipper might be holding in his hands. 

\- Holy smokes, guys! - Wendy exclaimed - I think this is some sort of guide to all the monsters and weirdness that happens around here. - she nudged Dipper in his arm - Dude, if you didn't distract me, we would have never found this.  
\- Y-Yeah. - Dipper replied with a equally ecstatic smile - And-and it looks like some pages are written in a code, look!  
  
He opened the book and pointed to a series of mysterious signs that looked random, but upon further inspection were clearly written with some thought in mind. 

\- Guys, this might be something really big! - Dipper cheered - I thought we might get bored to death here, but-

Suddenly, Dipper remembered why he nearly made Wendy crash their cart.

\- Wait, Wendy, did you mention "monsters"?  
\- Oh yeah, the woods are chock full of them. - Wendy shrugged - Like manotaurs, giant ducks, and...  
\- CORDUROY!

The three turned their head around as a new voice reached them. Dipper nearly dropped the mysterious book when a creature from the very same drawing he was looking at materialised itself in front of them, together with dozens of its spike-hatted brethren. 

\- ...gnomes. - Wendy spoke in disgust and spat - What do you want, you jerks?  
\- We told you not to come here - one of the gnomes spoke - Not after your father tore down our forest.  
\- Ugh. - Wendy rolled her eyes - He is a lumberjack, what else was he supposed to do?  
\- We-Wendy, maybe we should-

Dipper's concern became real when the small, inoffensive-looking gnomes suddenly gathered around, and from the mass of colourful hats, a new, humongous gnome arose, comprised of the whole pack that just a moment ago looked comical. 

\- Er, okay, guys, it's time to scram.

Wendy didn't have to say it twice to the twins. The three jumped into the cart and Wendy slammed her foot onto the gas, driving them back towards the Shack. Mabel and Dipper watched as the monstrous mega-gnome was left behind, and for a moment, they thought they might have escaped its wrath. But a moment later, a deafening roar shook the forest and the colossal gnome appeared from behind the trees, running after them much faster than they anticipated.

\- We-Wendy! It's-it's getting closer!   
\- Check the book!  
\- What?   
\- Check the book, maybe there's something in it!  
  
Dipper and Mabel quickly opened the mysterious journal back onto the page that described the gnomes. Dipper frantically looked through the hand-written descriptions, hearing the ominous, thundering footsteps behind him.

\- Er... Er... We-wendy, there's nothing about their weaknesses!  
\- Well, we'll have to improvise. - Wendy spoke - Hold on, guys!  
\- Ah, my hat!  
  
Dipper reached to grab his brown hat that flew with the wind and as it collided with the mouth of the gnome it was torn into pieces.

She made a sharp turn, and the next moment the twins found that for the second time this day their cart was on a collision course, this time with something much bigger.

\- We-Wendy! The water tower! - Mabel screamed, but the red-hair was already steeping out of the cart as it slowed down. 

Something metallic shone onto her belt, and with a quick "Be right back", Wendy disappeared.

\- Oh, great, she left us! - Dipper panicked, but Mabel pointed up. Dipper followed her, perhaps just to avert his eyes from the oncoming death.  
  
With an axe in her hand, Wendy was climbing up the water tower, as as the gigantic gnome was about to squish Dipper and Mabel, she struck the old cistern, and jumped to the nearby tree, as the pressure did the rest. A stream of water hit the gnome in the face, and it began disintegrating, as if it was made from sugar, revealing each and every single little gnome that were part of it. 

Like cats treated with a sprinkler, the might enemy dispersed, cursing Corduroy's name as they came back into the woods. With the same grace, Wendy jumped to the ground, welcomed by Dipper's and Mabel's overjoyed cheering. 

\- Wendy, that was the coolest...  
\- ...most irresponsible, but definitely coolest...  
\- ...think we've ever seen!  
\- Wow, Your mom must be so proud of you! - Mabel exclaimed.  
\- Yeah... I suppose she would be. - Wendy looked away for a moment - You gotta learn how to deal with these guys. Maybe I can help you complete this book, eh?

For a moment, Dipper didn't realise Wendy was addressing him. Though the water around them made the air chilly, he felt hot when his eyes locked with hers, and only Mabel's hand breaking that contact brought him down to earth.   
  
\- Oh, oh yeah! Sure!

Wendy raised her brow, and only after a while she realised that was missing from Dipper's usual look.

\- Dipper, your hat's gone.  
\- Oh, oh yeah, but it's not a big deal, Grunkle Stan has tons of caps in the Shack, I'm sure he will- 

But before he could end the sentence, Wendy plucked her oversized hat onto his head. And as she ruffled his hair, she suddenly noticed something peculiar on his forehead.

\- Woah, what's that? A birthmark?  
\- Y-Yeah - Dipper blushed - It kinds looks like...  
\- A big dipper! - Wendy exclaimed - Wow, that's so cool! Now I get why people call you that.  
  
Once more, Dipper found himself speechless, looking at the stunning, brave girl, whose red hair were now illuminated by rainbows from the last streams of water leaking from the water tower. And before he knew it, they were back at the Shack, saying goodbye, as the sun was setting down, and their new friend had to go home. 

\- Oh, by the way... - Wendy's cheeks turned crimson - You are not the only one with a weird name. My middle one's Blerble. 

She stuck her tongue out and waved the twins goodbye, before she ran into the forest, following a path only she knew. 

Dipper let out a sigh and was about to walk into the shack, when he collided with his sister, and was met face-to-face with the widest of snarky grins he has ever seen. 

\- What?  
\- Someone's in lo-ove! - Mabel sang  
\- Come on, Mabel. - Dipper rolled his eyes. - It's not like that.  
\- Oh yeah, mister "It's not like that" - she mocked him - You couldn't take your eyes from her! We drove past like a dozen of weird things and you didn;t even flinch, you were ogling her soooo much!  
  
Dipper walked faster, trying to escape Mabel's taunts.

\- Mabel, Wendy is just our friend, we just met her! And yeah, she is cool, and can climb trees, and knows all about the wildlife, and she saved our lives, and she wants to help work on the... the book with me...

Dipper Pines stopped in the middle of the Mystery Shack, and uttered a single "Oh no", just as Mabel erupted into laughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Read on tumblr ([x](https://nautiscarader.tumblr.com/post/624918789088296960/wendip-week-day-4-same-age))


	5. Day 5 - Time travel

\- I'm really glad you agreed to help us. - Wendy gave her best friend a kiss to the cheek and waved her children goodbye - We're gonna be by ten. Tyrone, Emma, be good to auntie Tambry.   
\- We'll be back before you know it. - Dipper said, as much to his children, as to the babysitter.   
  
The door to their cozy, two-storey wooden house closed, and the sound of engine soon reached them from the outside, as Dipper and Wendy left for a well-deserved evening alone to celebrate their anniversary. Tambry grabbed a can of Pitt Cola from the kitchen and jumped onto the sofa. 

\- So, what do you guys want to do? Play some board games, or do you want me to tell you stories? Heh, I have some pretty embarrassing stories about your folks and-

It took Tambry a paralysingly long moment to notice that she has been talking to no one the whole time. She jumped to her feet and frantically looked around, trying to spot all the possible places for a seven- and ten-years old, quickly coming to realisation that there were way too many of them. 

But there was only one where a noise was coming from. 

The basement. 

At once, Tambry dropped her can and rushed downstairs. Other parents might have worried that their children would accidentally break bottles of wine, or cut themselves on some of daddy's tools, but in Dipper and Wendy's case, the consequences of wandering into their basement unprotected were far, far more severe. Apart from the sharp tools and bottles of intoxicants, their basement was a home to their treasure vault. 

In the past twenty or so years, the couple (with occasional help from Tambry and others) have travelled around States and the world, to all the places Ford has marked as "of interest". And over the two decades, they have collected many treasures, as well as many objects of interest they kept in their ultra-secure vault, locked not only with technology, but also spells and enchantments.

And when Tambry saw it it wide open, it did not surprise her in the slightest. After all, those were Wendy and Dipper's kids. Tambry's mind went berserk, trying to imagine what the kids could have touched, and as she got into the vault, she saw the Time Tape, a relict from Wendy and Dipper's short-lived part-time job as time agents.

The kids turned their heads around, and just as they began disappearing, Tambry launched herself forward, and as her finger brushed the wobbly, ephemeral surface of time rift, she was pulled forward, but instead of slamming her head against the opposite wall, she began falling, deeper than she ever had, flying though time vortex itself, filled with clocks and occasional telephone boxes, some of which contained two stoned guitarists. 

Just as she thought she would feel sick, she felt pain in her arm when she collided with ground. 

Tambry turned around, her mind still on Wendy and Dipper's kids. She recognised the place already: she was on the same hill where Woodstick concert was taking place, evidently still with the crowd of attendees. The whole place was filled with people, but as she looked around, Tambry immediately saw two familiar figures: one red-haired boy and one brown-haired girl, just on the verge of the forest, and she leapt towards them, shouting with her last breath. 

\- Tyrone! Emma! - she grabbed their shoulders Why did you-

But as she looked at the two children, her heart sank as she began noticing subtle differences. Emma didn't have green eyes. Tyrone's hair wasn't as long. And he wasn't as tall as he used to be a moment ago. Emma didn't have a beauty mark on her cheek.

The strange kids stared at her in confusion, but as she was about to ask what happened, she heard a murmur from the crowd behind her. And when she turned around, she nearly fainted. She suddenly realised that the crowd she passed by weren't random people. 

As the dozens, if not hundreds of children turned their heads at the same time, in a near-synchronised motion, Tambry began noticing the same features over and over again: red hair, freckles, chestnut hair, birthmarks, brown and green eyes...  
  
\- Hi, Aunt Tambry! - spoke the children in blood-freezing, eerie, collective cheer.  
\- What the fu-  
  
And then, she was falling again, through the asphalt, the ground, and the vortex again, but this time, with all the red- and chestnut-haired children. She was still frantically looking for Tyrone and Emma, but she quickly realised it was a futile attempt, and by the time she thought that, she felt pain in her back again, as she landed, this time, in a spacious, gold-and-marble hall.

She expected she would hear hundreds of cries of the children, as they would landed and sprain her ankles or broke their arms, but so far, she was the only one who mis-landed, while every sing;e child or teenager around got onto their feet as if they just exited a school bus. 

\- Emma? Tyrone?  
  
Tambry asked, being helped by two children, and to her relief, she finally found them, rushing towards her with tears in their eyes.   
  
\- Auntie Tambry, we-we are sorry... - Emma cried, closing her arms around her waist.   
\- Yeah, we messed up... - the older boy spoke, without meeting her eyes and joined his sister.  
\- That's... that's okay, kids, everything is fine...  
  
Tambry knelt and brought them into a tight, warm hug, glad things finally started making sense. 

And as she opened her eyes, she saw a giant, floating head. 

\- EMMA AND TYRONE PINES!  
  
The Time Baby boomed, filling the air in the courtroom with its mighty voice.

\- YOU HAVE BEEN PULLED FROM YOUR ORIGINAL TIME STREAM TO ANSWER FOR YOUR CRIMES AGAIN THE TIME ITSELF. - it continued, reading from a piece of paper - TOGETHER WITH YOU, WE BROUGHT ALICE PINES, DAN PINES, PETER PINES, STAN II PINES, STANFORD II PINES, STANISLAU PINES, TERRANCE PINES, DEBORAH PINES, ANNE PINES, DANNY PINES, TYRONE PINES, TYRONE PINES, PHOEBE PINES ...  
  
For the next five minutes, the giant, floating baby continued listing - from the sound of it - names of every single son and daughter of Wendy and Dipper present in the hall. And then it spoke Tambry's name as well, as if she was a punchline to a very long joke.

\- DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?   
\- Uh, yeah, about that, I don't. - Tambry spoke, crossing her arms. - Who-who are you guys? I know Wendy and Dipper have been busy once they retired from adventuring, but not THAT much...  
  
Immature snickering erupted around her.

\- Auntie Tambry, it's real simple. - Emma tugged her shirt to bring her attention. - All of us here are kids of our parents from alternate universes. Our time-siblings if you will.  
\- Yeah! - another girl, around age of fifteen agreed - Like, in our timeline, our mom and dad are bad-ass freedom fighters...  
\- ...our parents were the same age when they met!  
\- ...my dad moved to Oregon permanently!  
\- ...my mom moved to California!  
\- ...our parents first broke up but then got together again!  
\- ...our parents attended the same sports school!  
\- ...our parents run a coffee-shop!  
  
Everyone in the hall, including the primordial, pan-dimensional Time Baby, collectively groaned.   
  
\- Okay, is there *someone*, who can explain to me how to untangle this mess? - Tambry cried in anger - Because I didn't sign up for this...  
\- "Untangle" is, in fact, the correct word.   
  
The crowd of one purple- and many chestnut- and red-heads turned towards the new voice, and just when Tambry thought that something would start making sense, she hiccuped when she understood who just greeted her.

\- Waddles! - the crowd of Wendy and Dipper's offspring cheered in unison, and ran towards the chubby pink pig that flew into the courtroom in his leaving chair, Tambry more perplexed than a moment ago.  
\- Indeed, I am Waddles, though not the one you know. I am a distant descendant of the one, brave pig you call Waddles, and who is known in our civilisation as the "Oink-Father".   
\- I need a drink... - Tambry hid her face in hands.  
\- But Tambry here is right - Waddles continued, as he circled the room, until he flew towards the screen - It would seem that one set of children travelled back in time, modified the past, altering their future. Then, another set of kids travelled from the now-changed future, their present, to the same past, hoping to fix it, but modifying it again. Repeat that around, er, seventy-two times, and you get the results!

Waddles spread his stubby trotters, pointing to the crowd of time-travelling children, and continued.

\- Your many time travels have twisted the time continuum into a knot-like structure. What's worse, the many parallel universes you've created have ended some of them, and began new ones.

As he spoke, the singular line on the enormous screen began twisting and turning, until it resembled a ball of yarn that has been a target of a whole litter of hyperactive kittens. 

\- However, hope is not lost. You will find that in order to solve this multi-dimensional conundrum, we must simply use a trivially easy algebraic property of inverting the product.  
  
At least a dozen of children around Tambry let out a collective gasp of understanding and began nodding.   
  
\- Er, come again? - Tambry spoke to the talking pig, feeling somewhat overwhelmed.  
\- Simply speaking, you first put on your underwear, and then your pants. But if you want reverse the process, you must first take off your pants, and then the underwear. 

The future Waddles looked down at his body.

\- I assure you, this analogy is true, even though I have very little experience in that matter.   
\- So... you mean that we need to find which groups of kids brought which one with them, put them in order, and then, like, escort them back, one by one, from the end?  
\- Precisely!

Tambry cursed her best friend under her breath. 

\- I will never babysit any of you. - she grumbled - I might even never speak to Wendy again either. - she threw a paralysing glare at the crowd of children around her.  
\- Heh, funny story - one of the teenage boys spoke - In our universe, you and our parents... er, kinda-sorta... Ah, never mind, you'll find out. Maybe.  
\- Okay, someone give me some ultra-strong coffee from the future, or something, and let's do this.   
  
And so, it began. Tambry lined up each group of kids together, and after much reorganising they began jumping through time. From universes that looked completely similar to hers, through those still aflame in Weirdmageddon, to those that were literally the mirror ones of hers, complete with traffic signs flipped horizontally, Tambry began the longest school trip of her life, escorting the cavalcade of children, trying her might to keep them holding their hands in line, which was much easier said than done when you are attacked by pterodactyls, or have to swim through the river of chocolate.

After hours, maybe days - she couldn't tell, and she was afraid to ask the children, who she suspected had an answer - she was left with just two kids. The ones she swore to protect, and whom she has failed miserably. 

\- Okay, guys. Can you tell me WHY IN HECK did you decide to do this?!

Emma and Tyrone looked at each other with shame, and showed her a photo on Tyrone's smarter-phone. A photo only they could have taken. Wendy Corduroy, age 15, kneeling in front of 13-year-old Dipper Pines, as she was telling him goodbye after their first summer spent together. Their future father was still perplexed by Wendy's act of taking his hat and swapping it for hers. She was saying something, but only they knew what they talked about, though Dipper's reddened cheeks gave Tambry a good indication what was Wendy's farewell message. 

\- We... we wanted to give our parents something for their anniversary.   
\- And we thought we could go back to when they first met, you know, and take a picture. - Emma looked at her younger parents - Look how cute they are! Especially dad!  
\- Yeah, he was heads over heels about your mom. - Tambry smiled.  
\- Except we messed up... Turns out it really matters if you spook that goat and she runs left instead of right!   
\- Hey, it's okay. - Tambry ruffled the boy's hair. - You put all the things back in place?  
  
The two nodded eagerly. 

\- Okay, we can go back.   
  
Tambry took the time tape, and was about to pull it one last time, but she decided to give it to the children.

\- You do it. You know better than me how to use it.   
  
For the last time Tambry felt the now-familiar feeling of her insides somersaulting, and, for the first time, she has managed to land on her feet. Seventy time travels taught her when to flip instead of flopping, something the children seemed to have grasped instantly.   
  
She opened eyes. They were back in the vault, in one piece, and just as she was about to say something, she heard the familiar sound of engine. 

\- Quick! get into positions!

She prompted the kids to run upstairs, while she closed the vault's door and followed them soon. By the time Wendy and Dipper opened the door, Emma and Tyrone have managed to bring the plates of snacks, open, empty, and scatter a dozen of cans of soda, and set up entire board and pieces of "Crippling Economy" on the table, to make sure their parents wouldn't suspect anything. 

\- Hey, kids! - Wendy spoke, knowing she shouldn't worry too much as their house was still standing. - Did you miss us?

The two adults couldn't even take off their coats, before their children jumped to greet them with the most affectionate of hugs. 

\- Alright, alright! - Dipper smiled - We got you presents, don't worry...  
\- No, mom, dad, we got you one!  
  
The two nodded and presented to them the freshly printed photo, and watched as their parents' faces brightens in awe.

\- Dipper...   
\- Look, we were so young...  
\- You were so small!   
\- But you were as beautiful as today.   
  
The kids let out a simultaneous "yuck" as their parents kissed, knowing to prolong the moment for maximum embarrassment. 

\- Wow, kids, thank you. - Dipper hugged them again - But where did you get it?  
\- Auntie Tambry was going trough her phone and she found it.   
\- So... we decided to frame it!  
\- That's very thoughtful, you guys. And, hey, where's Tambry?  
  
Just as Wendy asked, a loud snore reached their ears, and the four fund Tambry sleeping on the couch in the living room, the same one she expected to slack off on the entire night. 

\- You must have seriously tires her out. - Dipper spoke with hushed voice.  
\- Eh, you know how it is - Emma shrugged.   
  
The Pines family tip-toed from the living room in order not to wake Tambry up. Just as Wendy was about to hang the new picture on the wall, she started thinking "Was Tambry even with us when Dipper left..?". But she was too tired to remember this, and she let out a prolonged yawn, ready to tuck their kids in their beds and join her husband in their bedroom soon.   
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Read on tumblr ([x](https://nautiscarader.tumblr.com/post/625095657642983424/wendip-week-day-5-time-travel))
> 
> Also, this fic contains names that coincide, completely coincidentally, with OCs by fereality-indy, nina-a-pines, and Supergroveraway.


	6. Day 6 - she loved him

Dipper's heart was still racing, and even the cool, evening air in the forest around him wouldn't calm him down after the treacherous escape from the Shapeshifter. Leaning against the wooden log, he looked up, seeing the first stars blinking on the sky that was still tinted red and pink, and he was glad that he had the worst behind him.

And then his heart stung when he hear Wendy's soft grunt. She was towering over her, sitting on the log, and though she acted nonchalantly, her fingers toying with her hair showed her nervousness.

\- So... are we gonna talk about this... or...?  
  
There was no way of delaying it. With a heavy sigh, Dipper flexed his legs, and rose from his relaxed position. He sat next to her, and turned his head, meeting her gleaming, green eyes that reflected the last rays of the setting sun. In the fifteen years of his life (well, okay, fourteen and 11 months) he has never seen anyone as stunningly radiant, and for the last month he was blessed to live in the most blissful of dreams. And now he could feel that this dream would end, and he would have to swallow the bitter truth. 

\- Okay, look, Wendy, I... - he started, but words got stuck in his throat - I meant it. Every word. I do love you. But I know you probably don't, and I have been a fool to think that someone as cool and brave as you would ever-  
\- Dipper.  
  
Wendy's hand brushed his, and while he instinctively flinched, he let her fingers intertwine with his. 

\- I know it's been a bit awkward... - she looked away for a moment - Like, I always knew you had a crush on me...  
\- You-you did?  
\- dude, it was pretty obvious. - she chuckled.  
\- It was the fact that I wanted to wear a suit once when we were going to meet, right?  
\- Yeah, that was a big clue. I was expecting you to drop to your knee, man.  
  
The forest around them filled with laughter, as they both remembered exactly what happened to the suit and how they had to explain to Grunkle Stan the damages caused by alligators in Oregon. But then, after a while the laughter died down, and Dipper continued.

\- What I'm saying is... I don't want to lose a friend. And I nearly did lost you today. - he smiled - But I'm glad I told you how I feel, be-because I have never said that to any girl before...

Once more, he shied away from her and only after he finished, he looked at her, surprised to meet a smile on her freckled face. 

\- Well, I've never had to reject a love confession like this. - Wendy lifted her legs and sat cross-legged on the log - And... I'm not sure if I want to. 

It was time for her to avoid Dipper's eyes, and his hopeful stare she could feel burning a hole in her right arm, as she dragged a stick in the small pile of sand on the ground. 

\- Like, I've never met a guy like you. I never thought I'd hang out with a...  
\- ...a nerd? - Dipper finished.  
\- I was gonna say "a dork". - she chuckled.  
\- That is a fair assessment.   
\- Oh yeah, "That is a fair assessment" indeed! - Wendy laughed and raised her arms and began moving them in synchronised, jittery motion - Affirmative, mistress. Does not compute! Destroy all humans!

The two laughed again, and Dipper had to secure Wendy's back so that she doesn't fall. 

\- Yeah, "The Seventh Stratagem from Saturn" was a good movie. I mean, horrible, but so good to make fun of. But you know what's the weirdest thing? They are gonna release it on the big screen again! Like, would people even watch it?   
\- I don't know, I would. - Wendy commented.  
\- Yeah, me too!  
  
He spoke automatically, without realising how he sounded. 

\- Er, so... would- would you like to-  
\- I would. - Wendy answered without hesitation.   
  
She jumped to her feet, and offered Dipper a hand.

\- Just don't go directly to my front door, I'll sneak through my window.   
\- Why? - Dipper scratched his head.  
\- My dad would rip your limbs when he'd hear the news that I've got a boyfriend. You coming?  
  
It took a moment for Dipper to answer, and he rushed to meet her pace. After all, it was news to him as well.

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Read on tumblr ([x](https://nautiscarader.tumblr.com/post/625268596487159808/wendip-week-6-she-loved-him))
> 
> "The Seventh Stratagem from Saturn" is a parody of "Plan 9 from Outer Space".


	7. Day 7- unable to lie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> only loosly based on the prompt, as I couldn't come up with any direct idea.

A the thunder rolled through the dark, gloomy skies outside the cozy wooden house, the young woman standing by the windows felt the weather couldn't have been more appropriate for the situation. She turned around and began walking back and forth past the living room, where four other people have gathered, each of them following her with intense stares. 

Knowing she cannot delay this any longer, Mabel grunted and addressed her brother and his family.

\- So, you are wondering why I have gathered you all there...  
\- Not really - Dipper's son interrupted her - You asked us to sit here so you can do your detective spiel.   
\- Was that from a movie, or something? - Emma continued - Didn't you guys have a cartoon where you were younger, or-  
\- DUCK-TECTIVE WAS NOT A CARTOON!  
  
The girl shrieked when Mabel slammed her fist against the wooden coffee table, her eyes filled with anger.

\- IT WAS A MASTERPIECE OF STORYTELLING AND ANIMATION, AND IT IS A SHAME IT WAS CANCELLED AFTER ONLY THREE SEASONS!  
  
Seeing the sheer terror in both Emma and Tyrone's eyes, as well as a bit of it in Dipper's and Wendy's, Mabel leaned back, fixed her coat, and resumed her act in much more subdued tone.

\- So, as I was about to answer, I gathered you all here because I'm afraid that there is a force out there, ready to destroy your family. Our... family... - she spoke under her breath, looking ominously into the raging storm outside - I am talking of course...

She turned towards the four and eyed them with icy-cold, piercing gaze.

\- ...about distrust! The one thing that can break even the toughest of bonds between the loved ones. Husband and wife, mother and daughter, brother and sister...

Mabel pointed to each of the members of Pines family, disregarding Dipper's and Wendy's confused stares that appeared on their faces when Mabel jumped onto the table. 

\- Tonight I have been contacted by a daughter of yours, who would like to remain anonymous...

The three other members of Pines family all turned towards Emma, eyeing her with accusatory looks.

\- ...regarding a case of missing cookies!  
  
Mabel dramatically revealed an empty jar she has been holding underneath her oversized, brown coat. Wendy, Dipper and Tyrone let out a collective groan.

\- Okay, in my defence, I didn't know what she was gonna do - Emma quickly explained herself.  
\- Mabel, do you really think it's necessary? - Dipper asked his sister  
\- Yes, brother. - she turned sharply towards him - In fact, your reluctance suggests I should start with you...

She grabbed a flash-light and shone its beam directly into Dipper's eyes, making him cower and cover his eyes.

\- Mabel!  
\- Admit it, brother! - she leaned against him - It was you! everyone knows you have a sweet tooth! You can ask me! I can ask me! I have whole life of evidence against you...  
  
She turned towards Wendy, whose lips curled into a smirk.

\- Yeah, she's got a point there.   
\- Come on! You know I'm trying to control my weight ever since we stopped running away from monsters on a weekly basis. - Dipper grumbled back - Besides, what kind of parent would I be, if I didn't follow the same rules that we set for our kids?  
\- Interesting... - Mabel pondered for a while. - Then the next in line is... Wendy!  
  
Mabel jumped in place once more, pointing at her sister-in-law with vindictive glare.

\- How could you betray our trust? I had you for a friend all these years... - she spoke dramatically, her voice quivering with pretence emotions.   
\- Mabel, you do know I don't like sweets that much. And I especially wouldn't eat a whole jar of them. - she rolled her eyes. - Again, bad role model for the kids.   
\- The kids!  
  
Mabel turned her attention to the two youngsters sitting next to each other. 

\- After your father, you are the most suspicious ones here... After all, all kids like their sweets...  
\- Wow, we are honoured to be interrogated by the most brilliant of minds here. - Dipper rolled his eyes.  
\- Hey, not your turn. - Mabel barked back - I'm gonna come back to you.   
  
She pointed her beam at the red-haired boy.

\- Tyrone, we all know you stay up late, don't you? Those late night gaming or study sessions make you hungry, don't they?  
\- Well... sometimes...  
\- Ah-ha! And here we have, an irrefutable proof that it was you, Tyrone, who ate the chocolate chip cookies!  
\- Except we don't. - Emma added quickly.  
  
At once, Mabel looked down at his sister, who interrupted her speech.

\- We don't. He doesn't like chocolate chip cookies. He prefers hazelnut.   
\- Is that true?   
\- Yeah. I-I thought you knew. - the red-headed boy shied away.  
  
Mabel scratched her chin, contemplating her next move.

\- Hm. Now that I think about it, there is one more potentially guilty person in the room... - Mabel turned around, only to spin back and point at Emma - It was you!  
\- Me? - Emma flinched - I was the one, who complained about lack of cookies!  
\- Precisely! - Mabel spoke triumphantly - By drawing attention to it, you thought you could absolve yourself from any suspicions. You thought you could fool your own aunt, young lady, but alas! Your plan has been foiled...  
\- Yeah, it has. Cos I wasn't even there.  
  
Once again, Mabel has been thrown off balance by her suspect and looked at the cross-armed young girl.

\- I've spent the whole day with you and aunt Pacifica! - she roared - We came late, I went to the kitchen and that's when I found out someone ate all the cookies. That was less than hour ago!  
\- Well... looks like we have an impasse...  
  
With a half-defeated expression on her face, Mabel turned around and began circling the family. And though her antics were over-the-top, every person in the room followed her, and listened to her words, as she clearly had an ace in the sleeve of her sweater.

\- One of you have committed a heinous crime, yet no one of you would admit it... And this is why I brought this!  
  
With a sudden turn, Mabel slammed something onto the coffee table, and only when she uncovered a box-like object, covered in vertical and horizontal labyrinthine-like patterns that began glowing as soon as light began shining on it. And while the kids were surprised and naturally gravitated towards it, Wendy and Dipper were utterly shocked.

\- What the heck, Mabel?  
\- Mabel! Where did you get it?  
\- Oh, last time I was in California I might have visited a certain family that had magical connections... - Mabel smiled - And honestly, Star didn't really need this anymore, I mean last time they interrogated someone with it, and that was it...   
\- Mabel, this is too much - Dipper interrupted her - This is Truth-Telling Box, I'm not gonna let you use it, especially with kids! This thing nearly destroyed those, who used it, because Star was too afraid to admit she has a crush on Marco! And honestly, I think you are making a mountain out of molehill.   
\- Okay, enough!  
  
Suddenly, Wendy's usually calm voice interrupts the quarrel that was about to engulf the twins. Mabel and Dipper looked at her, and after a while of uneasiness, Wendy spoke out, in a slightly quieter voice.

\- Alright, I admit, it was me.   
\- Whaaaat? - Emma and Tyrone exclaimed - You ate all the cookies?  
\- But you said it yourself you don't like sweets that much.   
\- Yeah... I usually don't... 

Wendy looked away for a moment, and the rest watched as her cheeks turn crimson almost matching her auburn hair, while her lips curl into a soft smile.

\- But you didn't notice the pickled jalapeños were missing as well.   
  
She looked at Dipper, and as she spoke, his eyes grow wide and he dashed towards her, embracing her with a tight, long hug. 

\- Why didn't you tell me sooner? - he asked with a tears in his eyes  
\- I wanted to be a surprise, especially for kids, you dork. 

When he let her go, Mabel joined them with an even more expressive and tear-filled hug, leaving the two kids utterly dumbfounded. 

\- Uh, can anyone explain us what is going on? - Emma exclaimed - And why jalapeños are important all of a sudden?  
  
The three adult chuckled, and Wendy reached to embrace her two kids, giving each of them a soothing kiss. 

\- You see, it's a bit of an old wives' tale, but it is sometimes true. If a woman has sudden taste swings, it's a sign she might be pregnant...

Only now, the siblings exchanged stunned looks and swarmed their mother, exchanging cries of joy. The two spoke over each other, asking if their mother knew if it was a boy or a girl, and already coming up with names, while Wendy tried to calm them down. 

\- Alright, alright, kids, it's still a long time until we get a new Pine in our tree. - she chuckled - Why don't we start planning on the details tomorrow, huh?

She turned towards Mabel and Dipper, watching her with the kids still by her side. 

\- And yeah, sorry for not telling you.   
\- That's alright, that kind of surprises are the sweetest.

Dipper reached and kissed his wife, a gesture that for once did not result with their children sounding like they were about to puke. Dipper broke off the kiss and waved at Mabel, so she could join the enormous Pine hug-pile, and she eagerly jumped into the mix, enjoying the warmth and comfort of her extended family. At least until Dipper spoke out. 

\- Seriously, though, Mabel, what the heck was with bringing a MAGIC ARTIFACT to find missing cookies?  
\- Oh, relax, don;t act like you haven't done something equally weird.  
\- THAT IS TRUTH - spoke the Truth-Telling Box.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Read on tumblr ([x](https://nautiscarader.tumblr.com/post/625656994232139776/wendip-week-7-telling-the-truth))


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